Author: johnny

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Star Ghost Dog – The Great Indoors (2000)


Star Ghost Dog
The Great Indoors
2000

The Great Indoors is easily Star Ghost Dog’s finest work. The record sheds the indie scrappiness of its predecessor to become a polished, twinkling gem. The songs are all top notch and the production is dazzling.

It’s hard to pin down Star Ghost Dog’s sound. At times you may be reminded of Liz Phair, Apples In Stereo, Luscious Jackson or even Stereolab. Overall, however, they’ve managed to create their own sound. Ginny Weaver’s vocals sound detached, but that’s part of what makes them so engaging. Synthesizers manage to add layers that you now realize were missing from their debut, Happylove. The rhythm section of Chris Foley (drums) and Owen Burkett (bass) provide a solid groove on every song.

The opening track, “Underdrive,” is like a sunnier version of Elastica. That’s where the good vibes end, however. A cloud of beautiful melancholy hangs over The Great Indoors. “Knock Down” is a broken love song with a simple keyboard line that anchors the verse until the overdriven guitars jump in during the chorus. “Holiday” became one of the band’s best known songs with it’s slow burn. “Megafauna” continues Star Ghost Dog’s infatuation with near-disco, this time with a super-saturated guitar hook.

The album closes with its haunting title track. Ginny sings “Just pretend we don’t know how it ends . Never heard it all before.” Unfortunately for us, we do know how it ends. The Great Indoors would be Star Ghost Dog’s last album. What a beautiful way to go out.

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The Kickbacks – Even The Blues (2008)


The Kickbacks
Even The Blues
2008

The Kickbacks return with another batch of slice-of-life roots rock. Even The Blues is largely a collection of mid-tempo tunes with a fair number of quieter numbers for good measure. There are no barn burners, like “Lazy Eye” from their 2006 release Motel Stars. Tad Overbaugh and his band seem content to play things a little closer to the vest this time around. What the album lacks in reckless abandon it makes up for with a stellar album closer in the ballad “No Guarantees”.

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The Dirty Truckers – Loose In The Joints (2008)


The Dirty Truckers
Loose In The Joints
2008

Loose In The Joints starts off with the infectious “Sea Pines.” It’s clear from the get-go that The Dirty Truckers are raising their game once again. Once content to be the closest thing Boston had to The Replacements (certainly not a bad thing), The Dirty Truckers have really come into their own on their third release, pouring on their love of The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty and Faces.

Once again we see some lineup changes for the band. Lead ‘Trucker Tom Baker is still there, as is long time bassist Jamie Griffith. However, new members John Brookhouse (The Irreverends) and Brian McElroy (Golden West Motor Lodge) immediately make their mark. We’re introduced to Mr. Brookhouse via the fiery intro solo on “Sea Pines.” It’s well known that I think John is one of the best guitar players in Boston. He makes my case all over this record. Brian McElroy provides some great backing vocals throughout.

The band is absolutely on fire this time around. “Breakin My Stones” jumps out of the speakers. “3 Weeks To Go,” “Almost Justify,” and “Crosscutting Concerns” all rock with reckless abandon. There’s even a song that references fellow rockers *AM Stereo. As great as the loud numbers are, some of the record’s high points come when the band dials back the throttle. “Boston Wrangler,” “2 Different States” and “So So Numb” are among the finest song Tom Baker has written to date.

Loose In The Joints is also the best sounding album the band has made. Mike Quinn’s recording and David Minehan’s mix give us a clear sound of a band in top form. Great songs played with heart and captured in a way that sounds just right. This is my kind of record.

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Helicopter Helicopter – By Starlight (2001)


Helicopter Helicopter
By Starlight
2001

By the time Helicopter Helicopter released their third album, By Starlight, the band had completed their transformation from noisy bards of society’s underbelly to full on power pop poets. The opening track, “And Just Once,” makes sure you know this straight away. The production is slick, the boy/girl harmonies are spot on and the songs are ridiculously catchy.

By Starlight parades out one potential hit after another. The first six songs on the record all sound like singles. The last of that batch is “Passing Car,” where Chris Zerby and Julie Chadwick effortlessly trade vocal lines. “Slow Dying Flashlight” settles into the 7th spot, giving the listener a dark respite before the sing along resumes with “History Of Space Flight.”

Despite the drastic stylistic shift from their previous work, By Starlight still maintains many of the trademark Helicopter Helicopter characteristics. The verses of “The Afterworld” are as ominous as anything that came before it. Helicopter Helicopter’s lyrics still aren’t your standard power pop fare. In fact, the contrast between the ultra catchy melodies and the dark themes works well. There are still outbursts of noise. This time around they are shaped and controlled, manicured to fit into the mix. Make no mistake, though. This is a power pop record – and a damn good one at that.

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Devil On Horseback – “Devil On Horseback” (2011)


Devil On Horseback
“Devil On Horseback”
2011

The tags for this song on the Devil On Horseback Bandcamp page are “rock” and “Boston”. That’s as much a directive as it is a description. For 2 minutes and 41 seconds, that’s exactly what they do.

Fuzzed-out indie rock riffs mesh seamlessly with Bruce Caporal’s syncopated beat. Eric Waxwood’s vocals supply the commands. Take a shot. The guitars get a little extra juice right before the short-and-to-the-point classic rock solo. These guys are an efficient machine. Devil On Horseback are on a mission. Rock Boston.

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The Irreverends – The Irreverends (2005)


The Irreverends
The Irreverends
2005

With a few bars of backbeat followed by a great harmonized guitar line, The Irreverends are off and running on their debut EP. The band powers through “Annalise” with conviction. The song could have come right off of Damn the Torpedoes, with chiming guitars and Adam White’s Tom Petty-esque vocal phrasing. It works and it’s catchy as hell. The band keeps rocking right through “Ghettos On Fire”, with some snappy drumming by Chris Keene.

The band slows things down on the reverb-soaked third track, “Evangeline”. This song has a long slow build that showcases John Brookhouse’s incendiary lead guitar work. His solo that starts at the 5:50 mark should be a primary exhibit in any case presenting him as one of the finest guitar players in town.

Closing out the EP is “Double Negative”, a country-tinged tune with the clever lyric “You don’t mean nothing to me.” The dynamic changes in the song are beautifully executed, building up and tearing down at all the right times. It’s a fitting way to close out this introduction to a dearly missed and under-appreciated Boston band.

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Eric Salt & The Electric City – The Hail Mary (2007)


Eric Salt & The Electric City
The Hail Mary
2007

Two minutes and forty seconds into “Open Doorway” from Eric Salt & The Electric City’s album, The Hail Mary, the listener is submerged in a sea of cascading vocal harmonies. It’s the culmination of a three song opening sequence that is thoroughly engaging. “Stand In The Light” kicks things off with its syncopated guitars and snarling vocals while “Pearls” oscillates between the vibrant and ominous. By the time of the final snare hit of “Open Doorway”, it’s hard to imagine any other way Eric and company could have unveiled The Hail Mary.

The record sheds some of its drama with the fourth track, “Never Intended”, complete with Billy Preston-esque electric piano flourishes and light-hearted backing vocals. “Beatle Chord” doesn’t hide its Abbey Road influence in title or style. Throughout the 12 song CD there are hints of Wilco, Elvis Costello, and the occasional guitar line or vocal melody that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Paul Westerberg penned tune. The earnestness of the record would be burdensome if it wasn’t so damn honest.

There’s a high level of musicianship on The Hail Mary. Eric and his crew know when to play fast and loose and when to show some restraint. Vocals go from breathy to biting without ever sounding forced. Denis Saulnier’s drums are clockwork steady yet never lack feel. Layers of guitars all seem to know their place. Nuanced mixes from Ed Valauskas and Rafi Sofer (and Eric himself on “Long Livin’ Life”) tie it all together. The Hail Mary has all of the expected polish and sheen of an album produced by Ed at Q Division.

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Vic Firecracker – Mixed Not Mastered (1998)


Vic Firecracker
Mixed Not Mastered
1998

“Sevens” is one of my all time favorite songs in an odd time signature. When a band can make a song in 7/4 time sound effortless they’re onto something. That’s what Vic Firecracker does on this opening track to their EP, Mixed Not Mastered.

Standout tracks include the aforementioned “Sevens”, the syncopated and melodic “Connect The Dots” and the heaviest song on the CD, “Booksmart”. “Booksmart” is a ticking time bomb full of shrapnel, with call and response vocals, chunky riffs and a flurry of cacophonous guitars.

Vic Firecracker keeps you on your toes throughout Mixed Not Mastered. The six songs contained here are sharp and angular. Time signatures change and tempos shift. This is indie rock that makes you think.

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Tad & Kate – “Bad Presents” (2011)


Tad & Kate
“Bad Presents”
2011

Like some demented version of “The Twelve Days Of Christmas”, Tad & Kate bring you “Bad Presents”. Rogue Roombas, allergic reactions, over-sized turtleneck sweaters and the unfortunate outcome of a dog eating chocolate covered fruit-shaped flowers are not your typical holiday song fodder. Even so, any song with lines like “I don’t mean to sound naughty / But if I could stuff your stocking / With the heat that I feel when we touch” is bound to be a holiday classic.

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Michael J. Epstein and Sophia Cacciola – “Eight More Days of Hanukkah!” (2011)


Michael J. Epstein and Sophia Cacciola
“Eight More Days of Hanukkah!”
2011

Tonight is the fourth night of Hanukkah. Wouldn’t it be great if it could go on forever? Michael J. Epstein and Sophia Cacciola seem to think so. They wrote a song about it. The duo’s plan involves adding eight more days of Hanukkah after every holiday. Like Groundhog Day. And St. Patrick’s Day. And Christmas.

If this song was the basis for a Rankin/Bass holiday special, it would probably end with everybody realizing that Hanukkah is more special when there are only eight days. The rest of the year we can carry Hanukkah in our hearts. This isn’t a Rankin/Bass special, though. It’s an Epstein/Cacciola special. In their version, every day would actually be Hanukkah. There would be an endless festival of lights.

We’re going to need some more candles.

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